Beauty: A fresh pair of eyes
Bearing the brunt of digital dependency? Give your eyes a break…
Zoom catch-ups with loved ones, virtual cooking classes and online shopping; we’ve all been glued to our screens in recent months. The consequences are being felt – and seen. Excessive screen time isn’t just affecting your eyeballs, it also speeds up the signs of ageing to the entire eye area. Here’s how to prevent accelerated ageing.
1 PUFFY LIDS
If your digital tablet habit comes with a side order of salty nuts and a G&T, don’t be surprised if you see puffiness around your eyes. ‘Salt, alcohol and coffee are major culprits,’ says ophthalmic plastic surgeon Mrs Shah-Desai. ‘So is sleeping on your face. The pressure weakens the area and its lymph drainage, which can lead to swollen eyes when you wake.’ Sleeping propped up on an extra pillow makes a difference, as does a silk pillowcase. ‘There’s no evidence it softens wrinkles, but it can reduce friction in the delicate eye area,’ says Mrs Shah-Desai. She suggests ‘two cold spoons or cold green tea bags on your eyes for 15 minutes’.
2 DARK CIRCLES
They’re either due to pigmentation (which looks orangey-brown) or poor circulation (more of a blueish/purple tone). With the latter, the network of veins under the eyes is shining through, making under-eyes look dark. Boosting circulation is your aim; a daily gentle under-eye massage with a facial roller, always from the inner eye corners towards the temples, will improve drainage and blood flow. best likes Brushworks Jade Roller, £9.95 (beautybay.com). To tackle pigmentation, vitamin C is queen. best likes Superdrug Vitamin C Brightening Eye Gel, £4.99.
3 DRY EYES
‘In recent years we’ve begun to speak of an epidemic of dry eye syndrome,’ says Mr Daniel Ezra, ophthalmic and oculoplastic consultant at Moorfields
Eye Hospital. With age (and menopause), the quality of the tear film degrades, so we become more susceptible to the problem. For lubrication, Mr Ezra recommends using eye drops, but avoiding those with ‘whitening’ agents, which can irritate and dry out eyes further. Try
Blink Intensive Tears, £4.99. Use a warm compress on the area too, as the warmth helps to reliquify the oils in the natural tear film. Try The Eye Doctor Hot & Cold Eye Compress, £21.99 (boots.com).
4 OUT OF THE BLUE
HEV, which is electromagnetic radiation, is also part of the spectrum of sunlight, along with highly damaging UVA and UVB rays. We know UVA sets off free-radical activity in skin cells that breaks down collagen and elastin; research shows HEV light does much of the same. Change the settings on your devices to 24-hour night shift or night light mode, which blocks out blue light in favour of yellow light, an instant skin-saver. No sunscreen can fully block blue light, but mineral sun filters offer some protection. Look for antioxidant to help free-radical damage. Try Ultrasun Eye SPF30, £20.
5 STRAINED, TIRED EYES
Screen-peering can leave you with red, strained eyes. Try this simple strain-relieving massage, says facialist Michaella Bolder: ‘Place your ring and index fingers on the ends of your eyebrows and your middle finger on their centre. Press inwards and upwards to stretch and release tension – hold for 10 seconds and repeat twice.’ Also try a quick dose of hydration. Wake Eye Gel, £16.95 (wakeskincare.com), boasts cucumber, elderflower and witch hazel, along with glycerine, to rehydrate skin.